Venetian blind installation bracket



Oct. 3, 1950 H. NELSON VENETIAN BLIND INSTALLATION BRACKET,

Filed 001;. 4, 1947 INVENTOR HARRY NL-ZSON HIS- ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 3 1950 VENETIAN BLIND INSTALLATION BRACKET Harry Nelson, New York, N. Y., assignor to Lorentzen Hardware Mfg. Corp., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 4, 1947, Serial No. 778,003

6 Claims.

This invention relates to installation brackets used for supporting the head bars of Venetian blinds. More particularly the invention relates to so-called ceiling mounting of installation brackets, i. e., mountings in which the brackets are attached to an overhead. surface, e. g., to the lintel of a wall opening.

Venetian blinds are customarily mounted in or adjacent to wall opening by installation brackets which are secured to a vertical wall or jamb surface. The brackets support the opposite ends of the topmost bar of the blind assembly, this bar being often termed the head bar. When the brackets are so positioned that the blind is nested within the wall opening, the mounting is referred to as an inside mount. When the brackets are so positioned that the blind extends across the wall opening the mounting is referred to as an outside mount.

Installation brackets are customarily made in pairs, one bracket being a right and the other bracket being a left. In at least one wellknown form of bracket, screw holes are provided for attachment of the bracket either to the side of a window jamb (for an inside mount) or to the front of a window jamb (for an outside mount). Some windows, however, have no conventional jambs to which the brackets canbe readily attached, but do have a. lintel which provides an overhead surface to which the brackets could be attached if they were so constructed as to adapt them for attachment to an overhead surface. Also, some windows, particularly corner windows in certain apartment house constructions, have a jamb on one side of the window but no jamb on the other side. In such cases it is desirable to attach one installation bracket of the pair to the jamb, and attach the other to the lintel.

In the form shown of the present invention, a Venetian blind installation bracket designed for attachment to a vertical surface has been adapted for attachment to an overhead surface. This form of the invention utilizes an installation bracket generally similar to that shown in my copending application S. N. 623,970, filed October 23, 1945, now Patent No. 2,473,293. In accordance with the present invention an auxiliary bracket or adapter has been so combined with this installation bracket as 'to adapt it for so-called ceiling mounting. This auxiliary bracket or adapter comprises a member having a top horizontal flange provided with screw holes for,

securing it to an overhead surface,;and provided with a downwardly-directed vertical flangefor engaging and supporting the primary installation bracket. The engagement of the adapter with the primary bracket is positive, and the primary bracket cannot become accidentally disengaged after installation.

Objects of the present invention are to provide an auxiliary part for combination with a Venetian blind installation bracket designed for attachment to a vertical surface, to adapt the bracket for attachment to an overhead surface; and to provide such an auxiliary part which is capable of facile and secure application to the installation bracket.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an auxiliary part which will directly support the load-carrying portion of the primary installation bracket.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a simple, inexpensive adapter which may be combined with either a right-hand or left-hand Venetian blind installation bracket to adapt it for ceiling mounting; and to provide such an adapterwhich can be manufactured as a sheet metal stamping on a quantity production basis.

A still further object is-toprovide an improved universal installation bracket for Venetian blinds.

Further objects, and objects relating to details and economies of manufacture, installation, and use, will be apparent from the detailed description to follow,

My invention is clearly defined in the appended claims. In the claims, as well as in the description, parts are'at times identified by specific names for clarity and convenience, but such nomenclature is to be understood as having the broadest meaning consistent with the context and with the concept of my invention as distinguished from the pertinent prior art. The best form in which I have contemplated applying my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a left-hand installation bracket adapted for ceiling mounting by an auxiliary bracket or adapter of the present invention. The view shows one end of the head bar, and a fragment of the valance board is indicated in dot-dash lines.

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the bracket and adapter shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken generally on the line 3-3 of Fig. l, the llintel upon which the bracket assembly is mounted being shown.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of the bracket assembly per se, taken on the line 4 i of Fig. 3.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, thebracketassembly comprises a known form of Venetian blind installation bracket I2, and an auxiliary bracket or adapter I4 which adapts the bracket I 2 for ceiling mounting. The primary bracket I2, which is generally similar to that disclosed in my said copending application S. N. 623,970, is a left-hand bracket. It will be understood that the righthand end of the head bar 15 is supported by a bracket assembly similar to that shown in Fig. 1.

In the assembly for the right-hand end, theauxiliary bracket is identical with bracket I4, while the primary bracket is the same as bracket I2 but of opposite hand.

The primary bracket I2 comprises a flat plate I! which is part of a sheet metal stamping. The upper portion of this plate is folded downward upon itself to form a depending portion I9 which is generally parallel to the plate I! but the bottom part of which resiliently hugs the plate I'I. Integral with, and projecting from the bottom edge of depending portion I9 is a generally horizontal flange or head bar supporting shelf 29. This head bar supporting shelf may be provided with upwardly-projecting prongs 2|, 2| at its extremity for impaling the head bar I5. A hole 22 is also provided in shelf 29 for receiving a screw if a more positive attachment of the head bar I to the shelf is desired. If desired, the shelf 29 may slope upwardly very slightly from its junction with the depending portion I9 towards its outer extremity so that the weight of the blind on the shelf will bias the portion I9 towards the plate H of the bracket.

The plate I1 is also provided with a vertically disposed rear flange 24 which serves the dual purpose of acting as a rear stop for the head bar I5 upon the shelf 25 andserving as a mounting flange for the attachment of the bracket I2 to the front of a window jamb for a so-called outside mount of the blind. Holes such as 25 receive the mountin screws when bracket I2 is so installed. Diagonally-extending stiffening beads 25, 25 may be stamped at the junction of the rear flange 24 and the plate I? to reinforce these parts against bending. The plate I? is also provided with screw holes, such as 21, these holes being used when bracket I2 is attached to the side of a window jamb for an inside mounting of the blind.

Swingably mounted on the bracket I2 is a generally angle-shaped retainer 29 having a laterally-extending leg or flang 30 and having a rearwardly-extending leg or flange 3| adapted to move alongside the plate ll of the bracket. The lower portion of the retainer 29 is pivotally attached to the lower front corner of the plate IT by a rivet 32. This rivet passes through flange 3| of the retainer at a circular portion thereof which is so displaced away from plate IT as to form a slightly resilient portion which causes the flange 3| to resiliently hug the plate IT. The retainer 29 is also provided with tabs 35, 35 for engaging the rear of a valance board to be carried by the retainer, and with a tab 36 for engaging the bottom edge of the valance board. Such a valance board is generally indicated as 3'! in Fig. 1, the end portion of the board lying between flange 30 and tabs 35, 35.

Upon closing the retainer the upper portion of the flange 3| thereof telescopes between the plate I? and the depending portion I9 of the bracket. This portion of the flange 3| is provided with a laterally-projecting latch formation 39 (see Fig. 4) which, when the retainer swings to fully closed position, snaps behind an inwardly-pressed vertical bead 40 in the depending portion I9 of the bracket to hold the retainer 29 closed. The depending portion I9 is additionally provided with beads 4|, 4| which continue across the shelf 20 at 4|, 4|. These beads reinforce the parts I9, 29; and the beads 4|, 4| also act to hold the body of depending portion I 9 slightly spaced from plate H. The depending portion I9 is also provided with an upwardly-projecting springy tongue 42 formed by cutting a bifurcated vertical slot 44 from this portion. This tongue is inclined toward plate I! and then recurved therefrom.

For a better understanding of the construction of bracket I2 and the parts thereof, reference may be had to my said copending application S. N. 623,970, filed October 23, 1945, now Patent No. 2,473,293.

The auxiliary bracket or adapter I 4, best shown in Fig. 2, is an L-shaped sheet steel stamping comprising a vertical bracket-engaging flange 45 and a horizontal mounting-flange 45. Pressed beads 4T, 41 and 49, 49 extend across both of these flanges and'reinforce the adapter against bending. Holes 50 are provided in the mounting flange 46 to receive screws or other suitable fasteners for attaching the flange to an overhead surface, e. g., a lintel.

The bracket-engaging flange 45 of the adapter I4 (see particularly Fig. 2) lies principally in a single plane. An inverted U-shaped opening 5| is cut in the flange 45, this opening having sufflcient width to permit the wide part thereof to be passed over the shelf 29 of the bracket I2. The central projecting portion 52 of the flange 45 between the legs of the opening 5|, and the portion of the flange 45 beneath the projecting portion 52, are rearwardly displaced as shown in Fig. 2 into a plane parallel to the major plane of the flange 45. From the bottom of the legs of the U-shaped opening 5| tabs 54, 54 are bent outwardly at right angles to form a seat for the shelf 29. The tabs 54, 54 may be omitted if desired since the adapter I4 will engage the lower edge of the portion I9 of the bracket I2.

To adapt the bracket I2 for a so-called ceiling mounting the flange 45 of the adapter I4 is placed adjacent to the plate portion I? and depending portion I9 of the bracket by inserting the shelf 29 through the opening 5| of the flange. The adapter I4 is then slid upwardly relative to the bracket I2, the central portion 52 of the flange 45 being entered behind the shelf 29 and between the depending portion I9 and the plate H of the bracket. As the adapter is moved upwardly the central portion 52 of the flange 45 displaces the tongue 42 slightly and is in turn frictionally engaged by this tongue so as to hold the adapter in position against accidental displacement. This feature aids in the installation of the bracket assembly. When the adapter I4 has been slid upwardly into assembled position, the tabs 54, 54 of the adapter lie against the underside of the shelf 20, the mounting flange 46 of the adapter being then very slightly above the upper edge of the bracket I2.

For installation of the bracket assembly herein described, the adapter I4 is placed in assembled position on the bracket I2 prior to securing the assembly to an overhead surface, e. g., lintel 53 shown in Fig. 3. After the assembly has been so secured, the parts cannot be accidentally disassembled since the bracket I2 must rise relative to the adapter I4 for such disassembly to occur and this is prevented by the lintel to which the adapter is secured.

When a blind is mounted by means of the bracket for 5 above-described bracket assembly, the weight of the blind is transmitted by the blind head bar to the shelf 20 and thus directly to the adapter 14, the weight of the blind serving to maintain the parts of the bracket assembly in assembled relation. Since the adapter i is symmetrical about a vertical center line, it may be used with either a left-or right-hand bracket. Also the adapter may be used with only one of the installation brackets l2 of a pair, as when a window has a jamb on one side thereof but not on the other side. I

When a window is provided with suitable jambs, the bracket l2 may be used-without the adapter, this bracket being suitable for attachment to either the front of the jamb (for an outside blind mounting) or to the side of the jamb (for an inside blind-mounting). In the alternative, or if no jamb is present, the adapter 14 can be readily assembled with the bracket 12 and secured to an available overhead surface, the bracket l2 being so located as to provide either a so-called inside or a so-called outside mount for the Venetian blind.

I claim:

1. In the art of Venetian blinds, aninstallation bracket having a downwardly-projecting vertical plate portion terminating in a projecting headbar-supporting shelf, said vertical plate portion having two sides, in combination with an auxiliary bracket comprising a horizontal mounting flange for attachment to an overhead surface, and a vertical flange having one portion thereof positioned against one side of said vertical plate portion of the installation bracket and, having a projecting portion positioned against the other side of said vertical plate portion, a portion of the vertical flange engaging the underside of said head-bar-supporting shelf of the installation bracket.

2. In the art of Venetian blinds, an installation bracket for vertical-surface mounting, the

bracket having a vertical plate portion and a head-bar-supporting shelf projecting therefrom, said vertical plate portionhaving two sides, in

combination with an auxiliary bracket comprisvertical plate portion of the installation bracket.

3. In the art of Venetian blinds, an installation vertical-surface mounting, said bracket having a downwardly-extending vertical plate portion terminating in a projecting headbar supporting shelf, said vertical plate portion having two sides, in combination with an auxiliary bracket comrising a horizontal mounting flange for attachment to a horizontal surface, and a vertical flange apertured to pass over the shelf of said installation bracket, said vertical flange lying generally on one side of said vertical plate portion of said installation bracket but having an upwardly-extending offset portion lying on the other side of said vertical plate portion of the installation bracket.

4. In the art of Venetian blinds, an installation bracket for vertical-surface-mounting, said bracket having a vertical plate portion and a head-bar-supporting shelf extending therefrom, said vertical plate portion having two sides, in combination with an auxiliary bracket comprising a horizontal mounting flange for attachment to a horizontal surface, and a vertical flange apertured to pass over the shelf of said installation bracket, said vertical flange lying generally on one side of said vertical plate portion of the installation bracket and having a portion overlying said aperture and extending on the opposite side of said vertical plate portion of the installation bracket. 1

5. In the art of Venetian blinds, an installation bracket of the vertical-surface-mounting type having a downwardly-projecting vertical plate portion terminating in a projecting head-barsupporting shelf, said vertical plate portion having two sides, in combination with an auxiliary bracket comprising a horizontal mounting flange for attachement to a horizontal surface, and a vertical flange having portions thereof in two spaced generally parallel planes lying against both sides of said vertical plate portion of the installation bracket, said vertical flange also havin a portion engaging the underside of the headbar-supporting shelf, and said installation bracket and said auxiliary bracket being frictiona lly interengaged by a resilient portion of one of said brackets.

6. An adapter for mounting on a horizontal surface a Venetian blind installation bracket of the vertical-surface-mounting type, the installation bracket having a depending plate portion and a head-bar-supporting shelf projecting laterally therefrom, said adapter comprising an L-shaped member having a horizontal leg for attachment to the horizontal surface, and having a vertical leg for engagement with the installa-,- tion bracket, said vertical leg having an aperture for telescoping over said head-bar-supporting shelf to bring the vertical leg against said depending plate portion of the installation bracket,

and having a portion projecting upwardly from the bottom of the aperture to interlock behind the depending plate portion of the installation bracket.

HARRY NELSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Schroeder Mar. 26, 1912 

